Resilient semi-rigid orthopedic support devices

ABSTRACT

A curable orthopedic support material is disclosed wherein a flexible sheet material is impregnated with a liquid resin system the resin-impregnated material cures upon exposure to a curing agent into a resilient, semi-rigid support device. In one preferred embodiment, one or more layers of a cushioning material such as foam is associated with the support material. The cured support is especially designed for orthopedic applications where conventional rigid casts are neither necessary not desirable, such as athletic uses.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser.No. 903,281, filed Sept. 3, 1986 entitled "Curable Material forSemi-Rigid Resilient Orthopedic Support," which application isincorporated herein by reference.

Field of the Invention

This invention relates broadly to the field of orthopedic supportdevices, including casts and splints and materials for theirfabrication. It also relates to non-rigid supports such as elasticbandages and wraps.

BACKGROUND ART

Severe injury to body limbs, particularly injuries involving a fractureof the bone, are typically treated by immobilizing the injured limb in arigid cast. Prior to about 1980, the vast majority of such rigid castswere made of plaster of Paris. Since about 1980, synthetic castingmaterials, particularly those comprising a knitted fiberglass fabricimpregnated with a water activated polyurethane prepolymer resin system,have become quite popular. These polyurethane casting materials, likeplaster of Paris bandages, are dipped in water, then wrapped around theinjured limb or body part and shaped while the material is soft andpliable. The resin cures into a rigid immobilizing cast within a fewminutes after application to the body.

Polyurethane casts offer numerous advantages over plaster of Paris,including a high strength-to-weight ratio, porosity, improvedradiolucency, and water resistance. Because of these advantages, theyare generally preferred, even though they are somewhat more expensivethan plaster of Paris.

Plaster of Paris casts and known polyurethane casts, because of theirrigidity, are often not suitable for treating injuries where totalimmobilization is not necessary and/or desirable, as for example, in thecase of strains, sprains, and some minor fractures. These injuries aretypically treated with a flexible type support such as tape or anelastic bandage, e.g., an "Ace" bandage, which is not impregnated with ahardening agent. Such supports offer various degrees of immobilization,and the support they provide is not necessarily stable and constant overtime.

Furthermore, the rigid plaster of Paris and polyurethane casts of theprior art are unsuitable for use by athletes who choose to participatein athletic activities despite an injury. In such instances, thehardness and/or weightiness of such a prior art cast, if worn by theathlete, would present a safety hazard to all other participatingathletes. Some athletes have sought to use support devices made ofsilicone rubber impregnated gauze as a means of protecting theirinjuries while reducing the safety hazard posed to the otherparticipating athletes. However, such silicone rubber impregnatedsupport devices still do not provide the degree of resiliency necessaryto ensure safe usage, and in fact, the bulkiness and weightinessassociated with silicone rubber often render the devices yet unsafe.

Thus, it would be a significant advancement in the art to provide acustom-fitted resilient support device which offers the stability of acured cast without the rigidity and degree of immobilization attendantwith currently available casting materials. Moreover, it would beanother significant advancement in the art to provide such a resilientsupport device which can be worn by an athlete without posingsignificant safety risks to other participants. Such resilient supportdevices are disclosed and claimed herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a curable orthopedic support materialcomprising a flexible sheet material impregnated with a liquid resinwhich cures upon exposure to a curing agent into a semi-rigid, resilientsupport device having an "Immobilization Value" between about 45 and 400pounds and a "Resiliency Value" of at least about 80 percent in thetests described hereinbelow. The support material further comprisespackaging means for preventing contact of the resin with the curingagent prior to use. The invention also relates to the method of applyingthe support material and to the cured device formed from the supportmaterial.

In the preferred embodiment of the support material, a stretchy, knittedfabric, preferably polyester or fiberglass, is impregnated with amoisture-curing polyurethane prepolymer resin system (which cures toform a "resilient cured resin") wherein the theoretical isocyanateequivalent weight of the prepolymer is between about 500 and 5000 grams,the NCO:OH ratio is between about 1.5:1 and 5:1, and the average hydroxyequivalent weight of the polyol is at least about 400 grams, andpreferably at least about 1000 grams. In one presently preferredembodiment, one or more layers of a cushioning material such as foam isassociated with the support material upon application to provide moreresiliency to the cured product. The support material is stored prior touse in a moisture impervious package such as that described in U.S Pat.No. 4,598,826.

The cured support device provides stable semi-rigid support to the limb,allows some degree of movement, and has the ability to resume itsoriginal shape after deformation. It can be easily removed by cuttingwith scissors, or if the device is formed by wrapping aresin-impregnated tape around the limb. The support device can beremoved by unwrapping.

The support materials of the invention are useful in a variety oforthopedic applications in both humans and animals, particularly as asemi-rigid support for sprains and minor fractures, or as a protectivedevice to prevent injury. Both of these applications are especiallyuseful in the field of sports medicine. In this regard, the resultantlightweight and resiliency of these support materials upon curingrenders them safe for use by athletes. The support material may also beused as a secondary cast after primary healing of a fracture hasoccurred. Other applications include cast bracing where immobilizationof the fracture area is required but movement in the proximate jointsuch as the elbow, knee, or ankle is desired.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The most preferred resins for use in the support materials of thepresent invention are moisture-curing polyurethane prepolymers preparedby the reaction of a polyol with an excess of polyisocyanate. Thestarting materials are from the same chemical classes as those used toform the rigid polyurethane casting materials well known in the art asdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,376,438, 4,433,680, and 4,502,479.However, the isocyanate equivalent weights of the prepolymers and theaverage hydroxy equivalent weight of the polyol must be modified toobtain the semi-rigid properties of the support materials of the presentinvention.

Additionally, other active hydrogen materials may be used alone or inconjunction with polyols to produce polymers which will be useful inthis invention. Examples are primary and secondary amines, carboxylicacids, and thiols. When materials such as these are used, the overallequivalent weight of the active hydrogen components should be at leastabout 400 grams, and preferably at least about 1000 grams.

Suitable isocyanates are disclosed in the aforementioned patents. Thosewhich are preferred include 2,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate,4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, mixtures of these isomers togetherwith possible small quantities of 2,2'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate(typical of commercially available diphenylmethane diisocyanate), andaromatic polyisocyanates and their mixtures such as are derived fromphosgenation of the condensation product of aniline and formaldehyde. Itis preferred to use an isocyanate which has low volatility such asdiphenylmethane diisocyanate rather than a more volatile material suchas toluene diisocyanate.

The degree of rigidity and resiliency in the cured support device isgenerally determined by the average hydroxy equivalent weight of thepolyol or polyol blend. In general, the average hydroxy equivalentweight of the polyol or polyol blend will be greater than about 400grams, and preferably greater than about 1000 grams in order to achievethe desired degree of semi-rigidity and resiliency. The choice ofhydroxy equivalent weight is also dependent upon the molecular structureand type of the isocyanate as is well known. Suitable commerciallyavailable isocyanate starting materials include "Isonate" 143L (DowChemical), "Mondur" MRS (Mobay), and "PAPI" (Dow Chemical).

Typical polyols for use in the prepolymer resin system includepolyalkylene ethers derived from the condensation of alkylene oxides(such as those available from Union Carbide under the tradename "Niax"and from BASF Wyandotte under the tradename "Pluracol"),polytetramethylene ether glycols (such as "Polymeg" from the Quaker OatsCo.), polycaprolactone polyols (such as the "Niax" PCP series of polyolsfrom Union Carbide), and polyester polyols (hydroxyl-terminatedpolyesters obtained from esterification of dicarboxylic acids and diols)such as the "Lexorez" polyols available from Inolex Corp., ChemicalDivision.

An especially preferred resin for use in the support materials of theinvention includes the isocyanate known as "Isonate" 143L available fromDow Chemical ( a mixture of isocyanate compounds containing about 73% byweight of diphenylmethane diisocyanate) and a mixture of polypropyleneoxide polyols available from Union Carbide as "Niax" LHT-28 and PPG 425.To prolong the shelf-life of the material, it is preferred to includeabout 0.02-0.1 percent by weight of benzoyl chloride and/or othersuitable stabilizer (e.g., an antioxidant such as butylated hydroxytoluene at a level of about 0.05 to 0.25 weight percent).

Foaming of the resin which reduces the porosity of the cured device andits overall strength should be minimized. Foaming occurs because carbondioxide is released when water reacts with isocyanate groups.

The most satisfactory method of minimizing foaming involves the additionof a foam suppresser such as silicone Antifoam A (Dow Corning), DB-100silicone fluid (Dow Corning), or silicone surfactants L550 or L5303(Union Carbide) to the resin. It is preferred to use a silicone liquidsuch as Dow Corning DB-100 at a concentration of about 0.1 to 1.0percent by weight.

The isocyanates and the polyols are reacted with one another underconventional polyurethane reaction conditions known to those skilled inthe art. The NCO:OH ratio of the reactants is in the range of about1.5:1 to 7:1, and preferably between about 2.5:1 and 3.4:1. Whererelatively high NCO:OH ratios are desired (e.g., 7:1), a plasticizersuch as butyl benzyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, or dioctyl phthalatemay be employed. The theoretical isocyanate equivalent weight of theprepolymer should be in the range of about 500 to 5000 grams, preferablybetween about 800 and 1200 grams, with the average hydroxy equivalentweight of the polyol being at least about 400 grams, and preferably atleast about 1000 grams.

Other water-activated and alternative curing resins may be used toproduce the curable support materials of the invention such asmoisture-curing polyurea prepolymers, silane, epoxy, acrylate,polysulfide, and polyester functional materials. Light-curing materialssuch as certain active olefins e.g., acrylates, allylics, and pendantvinyls, are also candidates.

The resins used in the support materials of the invention tend to bemore sticky than those used to form rigid casts. In order to improvehandling characteristics, it is preferred to reduce the tack inaccordance with one or more of the methods described in U.S. Patent No4,667,661. The preferred method of detackifying the polyurethaneprepolymer resin systems involves the addition of a lubricant,especially a surfactant, to the resin system. The preferred surfactantsare block copolymers of propylene oxide and ethylene oxide in an amountranging from about 3 to 6 percent by weight of the prepolymer system.Especially preferred are hydroxy functional polyethylene oxideterminated polypropylene oxides (sold under the tradename "Pluronic" byBASF Wyandotte).

The resin also preferably contains a catalyst to control the set time ofthe resin. To produce the cured support devices of the presentinvention, a cure time of about 3-18 minutes, preferably about 4-10minutes following exposure to the curing agent, e.g., dipping in water,is preferred.

Suitable catalysts for moisture-curing polyisocyanate prepolymer resinsystems are well known. Tertiary amine catalysts such as2,2'-dimorpholinodiethyl ether (DMDEE) described in U.S. Patent No.4,433,580 and 4-[2-[1-methyl-2-(4-morpholinyl)-ethoxy]ethyl]-morpholine(MEMPE) described in copending application Ser. No. 784,344 filed Oct.4, 1985, in amounts ranging from about 1 to 3 percent by weight of theresin system, are useful for this purpose, with the MEMPE catalyst beingespecially preferred.

The flexible sheet material used in the support material of the presentinvention is preferably porous such that the sheet is at last partiallyimpregnated with the resin. A porous sheet material also facilitatescirculation of air through the cured device and evaporation of moisturefrom beneath the device. This contributes to the patient's comfort andto the maintenance of healthy skin under the device.

Examples of suitable flexible sheet materials include woven or knitfabrics comprised of natural or synthetic fibers such as polyamide,polyester, polyolefin, polyacrylamide, etc. Preferred sheet materialsare extensible knit fabrics of fiberglass or polyester. Suitableextensible, heat-set fiberglass fabrics are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.4,609,578.

Sheet materials used in the orthopedic support materials of the presentinvention are generally long, narrow fabric strips (tapes) formed inrolls of various widths, from two inches to six inches wide. The fabricis impregnated with the curable resin in an amount of about 30 to 85percent by weight of the resultant support material, and in thepreferred embodiment, a fiberglass fabric is impregnated with enoughresin such that the resin represents from about 40 to 60 percent byweight of the impregnated support material. The term "impregnate" isused to describe the condition in which the resin is thoroughlyintermingled with and in surrounding relation to the threads or fibersof the fabric, and does not necessarily indicate that the resin is toany extent absorbed by the fibers themselves. Generally, the resinsolution will flow into the capillary spaces between contiguousfilaments of the fabric and will become bonded to the fabric uponcuring.

The amount of resinous component applied to the fabric must besufficient for the formation of a interlayer laminate bond, but not somuch as to occlude the porosity and unnecessarily thicken the resin filmwhich should be relatively thin for rapid and complete curing. Excessiveresinous component may also cause the support material to be messy tohandle due to stickiness or dripping of the resin.

The resin coated fabric strips in roll form are wound on a plastic coreand sealed within a moisture and oxygen impermeable package. In the caseof moisture-curing resins, the package is opened immediately before useand the roll is fully immersed in tap water for about 5 to 30 seconds.This is sufficient time for water to seep into the porous material anddisplace air. As long as the resin content is not so high as to causethe openings in the fabric to be filled with resin, more than enoughwater is absorbed by the roll in this manner. The roll may be squeezedunderwater to replace entrapped air with water. When the roll is unwoundduring wrapping of the material, the excess moisture coats freshlyexposed resin surfaces ensuring thorough wetting and rapid curing of thematerial. An alternate method comprises wrapping the material withoutdipping and then allowing atmospheric moisture or water provided byspraying or by application of a wet towel to cure the prepolymer.

Prior to applying the support material, protective padding is positionedabout the limb of the patient. The padding may take the form of atubular stockinet or some other convenient form, such as for example, anelongated strip or bandage which may be wrapped about the body member.

With the padding in proper position, the moistened support material iswrapped about the limb and over the protective padding in a mannersimilar to the application of an elastic-type bandage. The material isshaped in a manner similar to the shaping of a rigid synthetic orplaster cast.

Eight or fewer layers of the support material should be sufficient toform a cured device providing adequate support and/or immobilization formost applications. Removal of the cured device can generally beaccomplished by applying moderate force to the exposed end of the fabricand delaminating the layers. This is a significant advantage over rigidcasts which cannot be easily removed by the wearer and usually requirepower tools such as a saw for removal. The cured devices of the presentinvention can also be removed with scissors.

The cured semi-rigid support devices of the present invention arecharacterized by their flexibility and resiliency as compared toconventional rigid casts formed of synthetic resins or plaster of Paris.They offer more rigidity however than elastic support bandages and wrapswhich are not impregnated with a curable resin. They also providegreater support and immobilization.

To measure the degree of immobilization provided by the finished castsof the invention, the following test was devised.

Immobilization Test

The test involves applying a force to a sample of cured support materialwhich has been wrapped around a solid cylindrical-shaped articledesigned to simulate a body limb. The cured sample is subjected to abending force at a given rate of speed to a given total deflection.

The solid cylinder used as the simulated limb is made using a urethanehydrogel prepolymer marketed by the AC&S Division of 3M as ChemicalGrout 5620 (and is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,703 as "PropolymerA"). This material is compounded with clay and water to produce thecylinder. The formulation is as follows:

145 g Chemical Grout 5620

80 g Bentonite Clay (Federal Bentonite, Div. of Aurora Industries,Montgomery, Ill.)

600 g Water

The water and clay are premixed, and the prepolymer is added underconstant agitation for 10-20 seconds. The mixture is poured into acylindrical mold which is lined with polyethylene for release. The settime is about 45 seconds from the introduction of the prepolymer intothe water. The cylinder has a diameter of 6.0 cm and a length of 30.5cm. After curing for 24 hours at 22°-25° C., the cylinder is stored in amoist polyethylene bag and refrigerated to prevent shrinkage.

When water curable support materials are tested, they are immersed as a4-yard (3.65 m) roll in water for about 20 seconds and wrapped aroundthe cylinder spirally so as to provide a total of four layers over alength of 23-25 cm of the cylinder. Stockinet is normally used to coverthe cylinder before applying the tape.

Support material is applied to a cylinder which has been conditioned atroom temperature for 2-4 hours. The support material is allowed to curefor 1 hour at ambient conditions, and the system is replaced in therefrigerator at 2°-5° C., for 18-24 hours before being removed foradditional ambient conditioning of 2-4 hours. The test is thenperformed.

The test equipment is an Instron Tensile Tester Model 1122 set up with a2-1000 pound (0.9-453 kg) full-scale load cell and a variable speedchart. The cylinder wrapped with the test sample is placed on a sampleholder designed specifically to fit into the Instron test equipment toperform a three point bend test. The equipment consists of two parts, abase member and an upper member which are mounted on the Instron. Thebase member consists of a 3/4-inch (1.9 cm) aluminum plate 13 inches (33cm) long and 8-1/4 inches (20.95 cm) wide. Mounted along the top side ofthe plate, perpendicular to the lengthwise axis of the plate are tworectangular aluminum supports which are one-inch (2.54 cm) thick, 3inches (7.62 cm) high and 5-1/4 inches (13.3 cm) long. The supports arelocated respectively, 5 inches (12.7 cm) from the ends of the plate, asmeasured to the center of the support. Each support is mounted 1.5inches (3.81 cm) from each side edge of the plate. The supports areexactly 3 inches (7.62 cm) apart from each other. Bonded to the top ofeach support along its length is 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) diameter aluminum rodstock upon which the test sample is placed. The rods on each support are3 inches (7.62 cm) apart from center to center. This entire structureserves as the base member providing two points of the three point bendtest. The base member is bolted to the base of the Instron and remainsstationary during the test. The upper member of the test equipmentconsists of a one-inch (2.54 cm) thick piece of aluminum which is 5-1/4inches (13.3 cm) long by 2-7/8 inches (7.3 cm) high, i.e., similar insize and shape to the supports on the lower member. A stainless steelcylindrical chuck which is 1-1/2 inches (3.81 cm) in diameter and 1-3/4inches (4.4 cm) high threaded at 13 threads to the inch is fixed to thealuminum piece and is used to mount it onto the Instron. A 3/4 inch (1.9cm) diameter aluminum rod 5-1/4 inches (13.3 cm) long is bonded to thebottom edge of the aluminum piece along its length and provides thethird point of contact in the test such that the sample is bent betweenthe two parallel lower supports and the aluminum piece on the uppermember, which is also parallel to the lower supports. When fixed to theInstron, the upper member lowers at a given rate of speed and comes incontact with the test sample.

The test sample (which is centered on the simulated limb) is centered onand perpendicular to the two supports of the base member of the testdevice. The aluminum piece of the top member is allowed to contact thesample at its center at a rate of 1 inch (2.54 cm)/minute to a totaldeflection of one inch. The settings used on the Instron for full scaleload and chart speed are dependent on the rigidity of the particularsample and the sensitivity desired in the measurement, as is known tothose skilled in the art.

The test result is taken as that force which results from the resistanceimparted by the sample at the maximum deflection point of one-inch. Theforce reading ("Immobilization Value") is taken directly off the chart.

There is a large difference observed in this test between theImmobilization Values obtained when nonresin-impregnated elasticbandages and rigid-forming cast materials are tested. Generally, theunwrapped support device has an Immobilization Value of about 20 pounds(9 kg). Elastic bandage materials such as an Ace bandage haveImmobilization Values of 30-40 pounds (13.6-18.1 kg), depending on thenumber of rolls. Rigid casts such as those formed from Scotchcast 2Casting Tape (3M) typically have Immobilization Values in the range ofabout 500-700 pounds (226.5-317.1 kg). In contrast, cured supportdevices of the present invention have Immobilization Values of about45-400 pounds (22.6-181.2 kg), preferably about 80-200 pounds (36.2-90.6kg).

Resiliency Test

To measure the resiliency of the cured support materials of the presentinvention, the following Resiliency Test was devised:

The test samples are produced by wrapping the resin-coated tape, whichhas been activated by water immersion, around a mandrel which has anoutside diameter of 5 cm. The mandrel is covered with 2 inch (5.1 cm)stockinet material before wrapping. The sample is wrapped to form sixlayers of material in a cylindrical shape. The samples are allowed toset at least 24 hours at room temperature before testing.

The test equipment is a Chatillon model USTE tester equipped with asupport platen on the bottom and a knife edge platen on the top.

The test is done by measuring the outside diameter of the cured samplefollowed by placing the sample in the test equipment. The sample is laidlengthwise (parallel to the knife edge) in the tester and the force isapplied. The sample is deformed such that the inside surface comes intocontact with the opposite wall. The force is removed and the diameter isremeasured with a caliper. The percent recovery ("Resiliency Value") iscalculated using the two diameter measurements.

For rigid casts such as those formed from Scotchcast 2, the ResiliencyValue is essentially zero. Rigid casts containing a knit polyester sheetmaterial generally show greater resiliency. Cured support devices of thepresent invention have a Resiliency Value of at least about 80 percent,and preferably, from about 90 to 100 percent.

The invention is further illustrated by the following non-limitingexamples.

EXAMPLE 1

To 757.38 g of "Isonate" 143L (UpJohn) were added 1.85 g of benzoylchloride, 6.6 g of DB-100 (antifoaming agent available from DowChemical), and 17.80 g of "Ionol" (butylated hydroxytoluene availablefrom Shell Chemical Co.). After allowing these ingredients to mix atambient temperature for 10 minutes, 2602.45 g of "Niax" LHT-28 (polyolavailable from Union Carbide), 112.32 g of "Niax" PPG-425 (polyolavailable from Union Carbide), 112.32 g of "Niax" PPG-425 (polyolavailable from Union Carbide), 55.62 g of MEMPE catalyst (described incopending application Ser. No. 784,344, filed Oct. 4, 1985), and 145.90g of "Pluronic" F-108 (surfactant available from BASF Wyandotte) wereadded sequentially. The reaction mixture was heated to 60° C. and heldfor 3 hours. After cooling, a sample was taken which had a viscosity of30,000 cps, a measured isocyanate equivalent weight of 1280 grams, anaverage hydroxy equivalent weight of 1536 grams, and an NCO:OH ratio of2.8:1.

The resin was coated onto various fabrics including fiberglass,polyester knit, and "Ace" bandage fabric. Each material has a differentcapacity for resin absorption which necessitated different coatingweights to achieve good lamination of the layers in the final cureddevice. The fiberglass resin-impregnated material was 45% resin. Thepolyester knit resin-impregnated material was 55% resin. The "Ace"bandage resin-impregnated material was 60% resin. All of the samples,with the exception of the Ace material, were stable. The "Ace" materialbegan to react with the resin very quickly, indicating that aconsiderable amount of water was present.

EXAMPLE 2

A moisture-curing, silane-based support material was made by dissolvinga commercially available reactive liquid silicone rubber compound, DowCorning "Silastic" 732 RTV, in toluene to 70% solids. The solution wascoated onto a 3-inch (7.62 cm) wide fiberglass knit fabric of the typeused in "Scotchcast" 2 Casting Tape (3M) described in U.S. Pat. No.4,609,578 to 45% resin solids, and packaged in a moisture impermeablepackage. After being removed from the package, it was allowed to curewith ambient moisture.

EXAMPLE 3

To 1631.48 g of "Isonate" 143L were added 1.85 g of benzoyl chloride,6.66 g of DB-100, and 17.76 g of butylated hydroxytoluene. Afterallowing these ingredients to mix together at ambient temperature for 10minutes, 1986 g of "Niax" PPG-1025 (polypropylene oxide diol availablefrom Union Carbide) and 55.5 g of MEMPE catalyst were added. Thereaction mixture was heated to 60° C. and held for 3 hours. Aftercooling, a sample was taken which had a measured viscosity of 443,000cps, a measured isocyanate equivalent weight of 544 grams, an averagehydroxy equivalent weight of 491 grams, and an NCO:OH ratio of 2.8:1.This resin was coated onto knitted fiberglass fabric as described inExample 2 at 45% resin content.

EXAMPLE 4

To 542.85 g of "Isonate" 143L were added 1.85 g of benzoyl chloride,6.66 g of DB-100, and 17.76 g of butylated hydroxytoluene. The materialswere allowed to mix at ambient temperature for 10 minutes. To themixture were added 3075.38 g of PPG-3025 (a polypropylene oxide diolavailable from Union Carbide) and 55.5 g of MEMPE catalyst. The reactionmixture was heated to 60° C. and held for 3 hours. After cooling, asample was taken that had a measured viscosity of 38,500 cps, a measuredisocyanate equivalent weight of 2325 grams, an average hydroxyequivalent weight of 1550 grams, and an NCO:OH ratio of 1.90:1. Theresin was coated onto knitted fiberglass fabric as described in Example2 at 45% resin content.

EXAMPLE 5

To 314.67 g of "Isonate" 143L were added 1.75 g of benzoyl chloride,6.30 g of DB-100, and 16.80 g of "Ionol". After allowing the ingredientsto mix at ambient temperature for 10 minutes, 2897.98 g of LHT-28, 210.0g of "Pluronic" F-108, and 52.5 g of MEMPE catalyst were addedsequentially. The reaction mixture was heated to 70° C. and held forthree hours. After cooling, a sample was taken which had a viscosity of210,000 cps, an average hydroxy equivalent weight of 2102.89 g, and ameasured isocyanate equivalent weight of 5130 g. The resin was coatedonto a knitted fiberglass fabric as described in Example 2 at 45% resincontent.

EXAMPLE 6

To 724.66 g of "Isonate" 143L were added 1.66 g of benzoyl chloride,5.94 g of DB-100, and 15.84 g of butylated hydroxytoluene. The materialswere allowed to mix at ambient temperature for 10 minutes. To themixture were added 2247.33 g of PPG-3025 (polypropylene oxide diolavailable from Union Carbide) and 42.90 g of MEMPE catalyst. Thereaction mixture was heated to 60° C. and held for 2 hours. At thispoint, 261.69 g of Jeffamine ED-2001 (an amino functionalpolyoxyethylene ether from Texaco) was added very slowly with goodagitation. The reaction was held an additional 1/2 hour and allowed tocool. The resultant material was a resin having a viscosity of 240,000cps and a measured isocyanate equivalent weight of 1157 g. The resin wascoated onto knitted fiberglass fabric as described in Example 2 at 45%resin content.

EXAMPLE 7

To 366.11 g of "Isonate" 143L were added 1.75 g of benzoyl chloride, 6.3g of DB-100, and 16.80 g of "Ionol". After allowing the ingredients tomix for 10 minute at ambient temperature, 2848.2 g of LHT-28, 208.33 gof "Pluronic" F-108, and 52.51 g of MEMPE catalyst were addedsequentially. The reaction mixture was heated to 70° C. and held for 3hours. After cooling, a sample was taken which had a viscosity of134,000 cps, an average hydroxy equivalent weight of 2103.84 g, and ameasured isocyanate equivalent weight of 4085 g. The resin was coatedonto a knitted fiberglass fabric as described in Example 2 at 45% resincontent.

Preferred Embodiments of the Present Invention Employing A CushioningMaterial

In some presently preferred embodiments of the present invention, alayer of cushioning material, such as foam, may be associated with theresin-impregnated flexible sheet material in order to provide anorthopedic support device having greater resiliency and lightweight forthe bulk provided. In these preferred embodiments, the resin-impregnatedflexible sheet materials are prepared in accordance with the disclosureset forth hereinabove. The cushioning layer or foam is then associatedwith the resin-impregnated sheet material upon application to the bodypart, as will be explained in more detail hereinafter.

The cushioning layer, when used in conjunction with theresin-impregnated flexible sheet material, provides a finishedorthopedic support device which is semi-rigid and very resilient, and isparticularly suitable as an athletic protection device. Although variousmaterials may be used as the cushioning layer, foam is the presentlymost preferred material. However, materials such as flexible resilientfelts, water laid sheets, air laid or carded sheets and the like couldalso be used to form a cushioning layer in accordance with the presentinvention.

With the most important characteristic being the cushioning nature ofthe foam layer, other characteristics of the foam are of lessimportance. Thus, either an open-celled or a closed-celled foam may beemployed. However, it is preferable that the foam sheet employed be anopen-celled foam having sufficient porosity to allow adequate moisturevapor transmission therethrough. In this regard, the preferredopen-celled foams sheets preferably have a porosity of at least about1625 milligrams of water vapor per square meter per hour (1625 mg H₂O/m² -hr). This can be achieved using an open-celled foam having fromabout 10 to about 120 pores per inch. As used herein, the term "poresper inch" refers to the average number of pores located along a linearinch of the foam sheet. The number of pores per linear inch may bedetermined, for example, by measuring the foam's resistance to air flowor a pressure differential and using such information to calculate theapproximate number of pores in the foam.

Furthermore, foam sheet thicknesses of between about 1/8 inch and about3/4 inch are presently preferred, with foam sheet thicknesses of about1/4 inch to about 1/2 inch being most presently preferred. Foam sheetshaving thicknesses much less than this are generally too thin to providethe cushioning protection desired. Foam sheets with thicknesses greaterthan this tend to provide an orthopedic support material which is toobulky and cumbersome and which may not have adequate porosity.

Preferably, the foam layer has an adhesive applied on one side thereofto assist in the proper positioning of the foam layer duringapplication. One presently preferred foam material having such anadhesive on one side thereof is available from 3M Company, St. Paul,Minn. as Reston™ brand self adhering foam pad.

As mentioned, presently preferred sheet materials for use in the presentinvention include the extensible, heat-set fiberglass fabrics which aredisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,578. Another presently preferred sheetmaterial is a somewhat less extensible, heat-set fiberglass fabric whichis knitted in a fashion identical to the fiberglass fabrics of U.S. Pat.No. 4,609,578, with the exception that only every other needle of theknitting apparatus is threaded, thereby providing a thinner and moreopen fabric.

The method of forming an orthopedic support device using a layer of foamor other cushioning material will now be explained. Theresin-impregnated flexible sheet materials are prepared and sealed inmoisture impermeable packages in the manner explained previously. Thefoam sheet remains separate from the packaged resin-impregnatedmaterial, and is cut to the dimensions of the body part to beimmobilized.

To apply the support device, a protective padding such as a stockinet isfirst positioned about the body part to be immobilized. Next, the layerof foam material (which has been cut to the appropriate size) is appliedaround the stockinet such that the adhesive side of the foam layeradheres to the stockinet.

The package containing the resin-impregnated support material is opened,and the roll of resin-impregnated material is fully immersed in tapwater for about 5 to 30 seconds to activate the resin. If desired, theroll may be squeezed under water to replace entrapped air with water.

After activation of the resin, the resin-impregnated support material iswrapped around the foam layer as tightly as is needed to provide thedegree of support and/or immobilization desired. Enough layers of theresin-impregnated support material are wrapped around the foam layer toform a cured device which will provide such degree of support and/orimmobilization.

If desired, additional protection may be provided by applying a secondlayer of foam and a second wrap of resin-impregnated support material soas to provide a multiple layered orthopedic support device having anexceptional amount of flexibility, and even greater immobilizationcharacteristics. To achieve this, a second layer of the foam material isapplied around the previously applied wrap of resin-impregnated supportmaterial such that the adhesive side of the foam layer adheres to theresin-impregnated material. Subsequently, another roll of theresin-impregnated support material is activated by dipping in water, andis wrapped around the second layer of foam in the same fashion as withthe first roll of resin-impregnated material.

Preferably, the second roll of resin-impregnated material is wrappedaround the second layer of foam only as many times as are needed tosecure the second layer of foam in place and protect it from destructivewear or abrasion. In this manner, the first wrap of resin-impregnatedmaterial serves primarily to provide the degree of support and/orimmobilization necessary, while the second wrap of resin-impregnatedmaterial (which is preferably in fewer layers) serves primarily tosecure the second layer of foam in place. The first and second layers offoam, in conjunction with the resilient nature of the cured resin, serveto provide an orthopedic support device having exceptional resiliencywhich is safe for use by athletes who engage in contact sports.

It is presently most preferable to form an orthopedic support devicecomprising successive layers of: (1) stockinet, (2) foam, (3)resin-impregnated material, (4) second layer of foam, (5) second wrap ofresin-impregnated material, as described hereinabove. However, it willbe understood that any number of layers of foam and/or resin-impregnatedmaterial may be used to provide the degree of immobilization and/orresiliency required for different applications of the present invention.Thus, multiple layers of foam may be used between successive wraps ofresin-impregnated material, or conversely, several wraps ofresin-impregnated material may be used between successive layers offoam.

A few non-limiting examples are given below in order to illustrate howthe present invention may be practiced using one or more layers of foammaterial.

EXAMPLE 8

In this example, a moisture curable resin was prepared for use in theother examples. First, about 566 grams of Isonate 143L (Upjohn), about1.5 grams of benzoyl chloride, about 5.4 grams of DB-100 antifoamingagent (Dow Chemical), and about 14.4 grams of Ionol butylatedhydroxytoluene (Shell Chemical Co.) were mixed together. Aftercontinuous mixing for about 10 minutes at room temperature, thefollowing ingredients were added sequentially to the mixture: about 120grams of Pluronic F-108 (available from BASF Wyandotte), about 2203grams of LHT34 (Union Carbide), and about 90 grams of MEMPE catalyst(described in copending patent application Ser. No. 784,344, filed Oct.4, 1985). The reaction mixture was then heated to 60° C. under anitrogen atmosphere, and was allowed to react for about 3 hours.

The resultant resin of this Example 8 had a viscosity of about 66,000centipoise (cp), a measured isocyanate equivalent weight of about 3540grams, an average hydroxy equivalent weight of about 1773 grams, and anNCO:OH ratio of about 3.0:1. After cooling to room temperature, thisresin was used to coat the fabric in each of Examples 9 and 10 below.

EXAMPLE 9

In this example, a curable orthopedic support material was prepared bycoating the curable resin of Example 8 onto strips of two-inch wide andthree-inch wide fiberglass knit fabric made in accordance with theExample of U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,578. This fiberglass knit fabric had atleast 20% stretch along its length. Coating of the resin onto the fabricstrips was done in a very low humidity environment (2.5% relativehumidity) such that the resin represented about 45% by weight of theresin-impregnated material. After coating, the resin-impregnatedmaterial was wound onto plastic cores into twelve foot lengths, and eachroll of material was packaged in a moisture impervious pouch to awaitfurther use. When tested in accordance with the Immobilization andResiliency Tests set forth herein, the material of this Example 9 wasdetermined to have an Immobilization Value of about 56 pounds (25.4 kg)and a Resiliency Value of about 97%.

EXAMPLE 10

In this example, a curable orthopedic support material was prepared bycoating the curable resin of Example 8 onto strips of two-inch wide andthree-inch wide fiberglass knit fabric which was made in accordance withthe Example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,578, with the exception that onlyevery other needle of the knitting apparatus was threaded, therebyproviding a thinner and more open fabric. The resultant fabric had 6wales per inch and 15 courses per inch. This fabric was wound withtension and heat-set, giving it a resultant longitudinal stretch ofabout 10% to 12%. The fabric was then coated in a very low humidityenvironment (2.5% relative humidity) with enough of the resin fromExample 8 to provide a resin-impregnated material having 45% resin byweight. After coating, the resin-impregnated material was wound ontoplastic cores into 12 foot lengths, and each roll was packaged in amoisture impervious pouch to await further use. When tested inaccordance with the Immobilization and Resiliency Tests set forthherein, the material of this Example 10 was determined to have anImmobilization Value of about 45 pounds (20.4 kg) and a Resiliency Valueof about 97%. The material of this Example 10 is particularly suitableto form the outerwrap or last few layers of the orthopedic supportdevices of the present invention.

EXAMPLE 11

In this example, a resilient and semi-rigid orthopedic support device,particularly suitable as an athletic protection device, was prepared asfollows. First, a length of two inch diameter rib knit polyesterstockinet was placed over a human forearm from the elbow down to thedistal palmar area. Next, a layer of foam (dimensioned to fit theforearm), having a thickness of 3/16 inch and having apressure-sensitive adhesive coated on one side thereof, was appliedaround the stockinet by pressing the adhesive side of the foam againstthe stockinet. The foam used was Reston™ brand self adhering foam padavailable from 3M Company.

Next, a roll of resin-impregnated orthopedic support material preparedin accordance with Example 9 was removed from its protective pouch anddipped in water to initiate cure. This roll, which was three inches wideand twelve feet long, was then wrapped spirally around the layer offoam. Moments afterwards, an additional layer of the 3/16 inch thickReston™ brand foam (which had been cut to fit) was adhered to the wrapof resin-impregnated support material by pressing the adhesive side ofthe foam against the resin-impregnated support material. Finally, anadditional wrap of the resin-impregnated support material was appliedaround the second layer of foam. This second wrap of resin-impregnatedmaterial was formed from a second roll of the material prepared inaccordance with Example 9 having a width of two inches and a length oftwelve feet. After activation of the resin by dipping in water, thissecond roll was wrapped around the second layer of foam until about twolayers of the material had been applied over the entire foam surface.The second roll of material was then cut, and the remainder of thematerial was discarded.

The orthopedic support device so formed was then allowed to cure forabout 30 minutes. After curing, the orthopedic support device exhibiteda good degree of immobilization and provided good protection to the armto which it was applied. At the same time, the finished support devicewas very soft to the touch, lightweight, and resilient, and wasconsidered safe for use by an athlete in contact sports.

EXAMPLE 12

In this example, an orthopedic support device was formed in identicalfashion to Example 11, except that a roll of the resin-impregnatedmaterial of Example 10 was used to form the second or outer wrap aroundthe second layer of foam. (However, as in Example 11, a roll of materialof Example 9 was used to form the first wrap around the first layer offoam.) Since the resin-impregnated support material of Example 10 issomewhat thinner than that of Example 9, an even softer exterior wasprovided in the final product of this Example 12.

Again, it was noted that good immobilization of the forearm had beenachieved, and that the resilient support material and compressible foamprovided a safe, cushioned device which could be safely used by athleticparticipants.

EXAMPLE 13

In this example, a moisture curable resin was prepared in accordancewith the procedure of Example 8, except that the following ingredientsand amounts were employed: 519 grams of Isonate 143L, 1 gram of benzoylchloride, 3.6 grams of DB-100 antifoaming agent, 9.6 grams of Ionolbutylated hydroxytoluene, 80 grams of Pluronic F-108, 1007 grams ofLHT-28 (Union Carbide), and 80 grams of MEMPE catalyst. The procedure ofExample 8 was further modified by heating the reaction mixture to about70° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere for about 12 hours, adding 300 gramsof butyl benzyl phthalate to the mixture, and then allowing the mixtureto cool to room temperature.

The resultant resin of this Example 13 had a viscosity of about 9,800centipoise, a measured isocyanate equivalent weight of about 1251 grams,an average hydroxy equivalent weight of about 2113 grams, and an NCO:OHratio of about 7.0:1. This resin was used to coat the fabric in Example14 below.

EXAMPLE 14

In this example, a curable orthopedic support material was prepared inaccordance with Example 9, with the sole exception that the resin ofExample 13 was used to coat the fiberglass knit fabric strips which werethree inches wide. When tested in accordance with the Immobilization andResiliency Tests set forth herein, the material of this Example 14 wasdetermined to have an Immobilization Value of about 55 pounds (25.0 kg)and a Resiliency Value of about 95%.

The orthopedic support materials of Examples 1-7, 9-10, and 14 werecompared with both rigid casts and conventional nonresin-impregnatedelastic bandages and wraps of the prior art in the Immobilization andResiliency Tests described above. The results are given in the followingTable I.

                  TABLE I                                                         ______________________________________                                        Test     NCO     Immobilization    Resiliency                                 Sample   Eq. wt. Value lbs. (kg)   Value (%)                                  ______________________________________                                        Control  N.A.    21.5 (9.74 kg)      N.A.                                     Cylinder                                                                      Ace Wrap.sup.1                                                                         N.A.    30.0 (13.59 kg)     0-5                                      (1 roll)                                                                      uncoated                                                                      Dr. Scholl's.sup.2                                                                     N.A.    58.0 (26.27 kg)                                                                            With                                            0-                                                                            Tape (5                       Stockinet                                       layers)                                                                       uncoated                                                                                       62.0 (28.08 kg)                                                                            No.                                             0-                                                                                                          Stockinet                                       "Coban"  N.A.    42.0 (19.02 kg)     0-5                                      Tape                                                                          (5 layers)                                                                    uncoated                                                                      "Scotchcast"                                                                           375     549.0 (248.69 kg)   0-5                                      2 Casting                                                                     Tape                                                                          "Scotchcast"                                                                           340     628.0 (284.48 kg)   0-5                                      Plus Casting                                                                  Tape                                                                          Cutter   Un-     165 (74.74 kg)      73.0                                     Cast ®.sup.3                                                                       known                                                                Casting Tape                                                                  (3-inch)                                                                      Example 1                                                                              1280    95.0 (43.03 kg)     98.0                                     (Fabric as in                                                                 Example 2)                                                                    Example 2        74.0 (33.52 kg)     99.1                                     Example 3                                                                              544     210.0 (95.13 kg)    93.5                                     Example 4                                                                              2325    70.0 (31.71 kg)     91.9                                     Example 5                                                                              5069    49.0 (22.19 kg)     85.0                                     Example 6                                                                              1157    58.0 (26.27 kg)     94.0                                     Example 7                                                                              4085    64.0 (28.99 kg)     93.0                                     Example 9                                                                              3540    56 (25.4 kg)        97.0                                     Example 10                                                                             3540    45 (20.4 kg)        97.0                                     Example 14                                                                             1251    55 (25.0 kg)        95.0                                     ______________________________________                                         .sup.1 "Ace" brand Spandex Elastic Bandage, Becton Dickinson, 3 inches        (7.62 cm) wide and 2 yards (1.82 cm) long (unstretched)                       .sup.2 Scholl's Inc., Memphis, Tenn.                                          .sup.3 Cutter Biomedical, Berkeley, California                           

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or essential characteristics. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicatedby the appended claims rather by the foregoing description. All changeswhich come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims areto be embraced within their scope.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by U.S. Letters Patent is: 1.A method of supporting a body part, the method comprising the stepsof:wrapping a layer of cushioning material around the body part;preparing a flexible sheet material impregnated with a curable resin,which resin-impregnated sheet material, upon exposure to a curing agent,is capable of being cured into a resilient and semi-rigid state havingan Immobilization Value between about 45 pounds and about 400 pounds anda Resiliency Value of at least about 80 percent; exposing saidresin-impregnated sheet material to the curing agent; wrapping saidresin-impregnated sheet material around the cushioning material; andallowing said resin-impregnated sheet material to cure such that saidresin-impregnated sheet material has an Immobilization Value betweenabout 45 pounds and about 400 pounds and a Resiliency Value of at leastabout 80 percent.
 2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein saidcushioning material is foam.
 3. A method as defined in claim 2 whereinsaid foam is an open-celled foam having a porosity of at least about1625 mg H₂ O/m² -hr.
 4. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein said foamhas from about 10 to about 120 pores per inch.
 5. A method as defined inclaim 2 wherein said foam is from about 1/8 inch to about 3/4 inchthick.
 6. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein said foam has anadhesive applied to one side thereof.
 7. A method as defined in claim 23wherein said resin comprises a moisture-curing isocyanate-functionalprepolymer formed by the reaction of a polyfunctional activehydrogen-containing component with an excess of a polyisocyanatecomponent.
 8. A method as defined in claim 7 wherein the isocyanateequivalent weight of said resin is between about 500 and about 5000grams.
 9. A method as defined in claim 7 wherein the isocyanateequivalent weight is between about 800 and about 1200 grams.
 10. Amethod as defined in claim 7 wherein said polyfunctional activehydrogen-containing component is a polyol.
 11. A method as defined inclaim 10 wherein the average hydroxy equivalent weight of said polyol isat least about 400 grams.
 12. A method as defined in claim 10 whereinthe average hydroxy equivalent weight of said polyol is at least about1000 grams.
 13. A method as defined in claim 7 wherein said resin has anNCO:OH ratio of from about 1.5:1 to about 7:1.
 14. A method as definedin claim 7 wherein said resin has an NCO:OH ratio of from about 2.5:1 toabout 3.4:1.
 15. A method as defined in claim 7 wherein saidresin-impregnated flexible sheet material is packaged in a moistureproof container prior to use.
 16. A method as defined in claim 1 whereinsaid flexible sheet material is a knitted fabric made of fibers selectedfrom the group consisting of fiberglass, polyolefin, polyamide,polyester, polyaramide, and mixtures thereof.
 17. A method as defined inclaim 16 wherein said flexible sheet material is a fiberglass knithaving an extensibility of at least about 20 percent in the lengthwisedirection.
 18. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said resin furthercomprises a lubricant to reduce the tackiness of the resin duringapplication.
 19. A method as defined in claim 18 wherein said lubricantis a surfactant.
 20. A method as defined in claim 19 wherein saidsurfactant is a block copolymer of propylene oxide and ethylene oxide.21. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein, after curing, saidresin-impregnated flexible sheet material has an Immobilization Valuebetween about 80 and about 200 pounds and a Resiliency Value of at leastabout 90 percent.
 22. A method of supporting a body part, the methodcomprising the steps of:preparing a flexible sheet material impregnatedwith a curable resin, which resin-impregnated sheet material, uponexposure to a curing agent, is capable of being cured into a resilientand semi-rigid state having an Immobilization Value between about 45pounds and about 400 pounds and a Resiliency Value of at least about 80percent; exposing said resin-impregnated sheet material to the curingagent; wrapping said resin-impregnated sheet material around the bodypart; wrapping a layer of cushioning material around saidresin-impregnated sheet material; and allowing said resin-impregnatedsheet material to cure such that said resin impregnated sheet materialhas an Immobilization Value between about 45 pounds and about 400 poundsand a Resiliency Value of at least about 80 percent.
 23. A method asdefined in claim 22 wherein said cushioning material is foam.
 24. Amethod as defined in claim 23 wherein said foam is an open-celled foamhaving a porosity of at least about 1625 mg H₂ O/m² -hr.
 25. A method asdefined in claim 23 wherein said foam has from about 10 to about 120pores per inch.
 26. A method as defined in claim 23 wherein said foam isfrom about 1/8 inch to about 3/4 inch thick.